Korean Air faces backlash over changes in loyalty program

Korean Air is facing bitter complaints from an increasing number of customers over its plans to change its loyalty program, with critics saying that most of the changes will disadvantage economy passengers and only benefit first-class and business-class passengers. Some customers are even moving to take group action such as filing a complaint with the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) and submitting a class-action suit. The carrier announced a plan to revise its SKYPASS membership reward program, Dec. 13, saying it will change how mileage points are saved and used, starting in April 2021. The changes include offering more miles to first-class and prestige-class passengers, while offering fewer points to those who buy tickets at discounted prices. The carrier also plans to change the standard for charging mileage points from destinations to service distance. This will charge more mileage points for bonus seats of long-haul flights ― for example, a customer will need 90,000 miles to purchase a bonus prestige-class seat on a flight from Incheon to New York under the revision, compared to the current 62,500 miles. A change in the premium member system, which will take effect in February 2022, is also receiving mounting complaints as the company, which has granted lifetime premium member status to those who fulfil the necessary conditions, will give the status only for a year under the revision. Three lawyers at law firm Taelim said that the changes will significantly reduce benefits given to economy passengers, among others, claiming the planned revision seems to lack fairness.<br/>